Lubricating means, more particularly for locomotive wheel flanges



Aug. 26, 1952 o. w. SWANSON 2,608,271

LUBRICATING MEANS, MORE PARTICULARLY FOR LOCOMOTIVE WHEEL FLANGES Filed April 15, 1948 Z4 fnz/eniof 0Z0] ZU. jwazzaon Patented Aug. 26, 1952 LUBRICATING MEANS, MORE PARTICULAR- LY FOR LOGOMOTIVE WHEEL FLANGES Rom w. Swanson, Chicago, 111.

Application April 15, 1948, Serial No.- 21,126

This invention relates to lubricating means more particularly for locomotive'wheel flanges.

The present invention when employed in connection with the lubrication of the'wheel flanges of a railroad locomotive is an improvement on my prior Patents Nos. 1,942,847 of January 9, 1934, and-2,203,112jof June 4, 1940.

Among other objects, the present invention aims to'provide improved lubricating means including an intermediate well of lubricating fluid between-a reservoir and a delivery pipe, which well of fluid is substantially freefrom atmospheric pressure when it is not desiredthat fluid flow from thereservoir, means for'restricting" passageiof oil from the well to the delivery lpipe' serving to cause accumulation of fluid in the well while permitting limited discharge of fluid therefrom under predetermined conditions.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings,

of an illustrative embodiment of the invention,

and in which drawings- I I Figure l is a somewhat schematic view showing a wheel flange oiler, generally in accord-' ance with disclosures of my said patents, and having the present invention incorporated therein;

and p 7 i V Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of parts invention.

Referring in detail to the illustrative con"- struction'shown in the drawings, the numeral ll indicates a conventional locomotive driving wheel having the usual flange l2 whichis de 21 sired to be lubricated with an adequate but not shoe I5 may be provided in communication with 4,

the reservoir l3 and in delivery relation to the wheel flange [2 as by being carried by bracket l6 also suitably mounted on the locomotive truck frame. I l i In accordance with the present invention, im-

proved means are provided, as here disclosed, for placing the reservoir'tank l3 in communica' tion with the delivery shoe 15. r

As here shown, subjoined to the reservoir tank 13, in this case as by being formed integrally" 2 Claims. (01. 184-3) therewith, is a well casing ll depending centrally at the bottom of a sump portion 18 of the tank. This well casing I1 is somewhat in the form of a T-coupling having a hollow interior l9 and in this instance a plurality of horizontal tapped openings extending from three sides of the casing as at 20, 2l,-and 22, there thus being in this instance three such openings, two extending longitudinally of the wheel .ll in 10 opposite directions, and one extending laterally Such horizontal opening is omitted on the face of the well casing 11. next adjacent the-attachmentbracket Hi. -In

outwardly of the wheel.

its bottom face, the well casing I! has another 15 opening 23 which is normally closed by a drain screw-plug 24 which may be removed for cleaning purposes.

Normally only one of the horizontal openings 28, 2| and 22 is used at a given time, that one in this instance being the opening 20 and the other two horizontal openings 2| and '22 being closed by screw plugs 25.

As here shown, in the horizontal opening-20 is secured means for limiting passage of oil is from the Well IQ of the well casing 11, and, as here shown, this last mentioned means comprises. an oil supply moderator device indicated generally by the numeral 26, extending horizontall from the well l9, and next described. 1

shown in Figure 1 and embodying the present are The moderator device tube 21 is exteriorly U threaded at one end as at!!! to be screwed into the horizontal opening 20. The tube 21 at its end farthest from the opening -2ll has an enlarged bore 29 and at its other end a greatly reduced bore 30.

one end of a wire-like rod member 3|, which is shorter than the tube 21 as a whole but longer than the reduced bore 30.

of a nut 33 which limits movement ofthe rod member 3| in one direction in the bore 30. To

limit movement of the rod member in the op-.

posite direction, a nipple 34 having the external thread 35 is screwed into the threadedmouth- 36 of the tube 21. Beyond the threads 35 and within the enlarged bore 29 the nipp1e'34 has a reduced end 36. In this reduced end are 59 1a pair of lateral perforations 31 which com- Thus the disc-like face 39 of the nipple inner 5 5; end-provides an abutment surface which limits In'the'reduced bore plays The end of the wire-like rod member 3| which projects into the enlarged bore 29 is threaded as at 3 2 to have screwed thereon a stop member in the form,

livery pipe 4|, which may be,- say; ofrubber com position, or other flexible material, may'bepassed over the nipple periphery 40 and pressedonto the adjacent end of the moderator tube.

The nipple periphery maybe-of polygonal contour to facilitate screwing of the nipple into.-

the tube, and similarl the tube may have a polygonal formation as at 42 for facilitating screwing of thetube into the tapped opening- 20'.

To admitthe lubricating fluid such as oil from the tank- 13' into the-well IS, a ball valve device i's' provided comprising the valve cage 43 which has a threaded outlet- 44 which screws into the tapped bore 45 "communicating between thesump portionl8 of the-tank l3 and the well [9 of-the well 'casing l1, this outlet 44 beingcentrally piercedas-by the duct-46L V p v The-upper'end-ofthe duct-'46 isnormally-closed by a; ball valve 41 held loosely Within the valve cage 43 upon a slightly concave or conical valve seat 48; to which the duct 46 is'central. Oil is admitted from the reservoir- 49 of the tank' [3' as-through opening 50 onopposite sides of the valve cage 43'.

As described and claimed in my a Prior Patent"1,942,847; the openings 50 may be partially filledby-a loosely 'fitting shaft 5| having a propeller-like member 52 thereon which is actuated by agitation of the oil in the reservoir under the influence of vibration of the locomotive when the latter'is in motion, thus permitting a limited supply of oil to passinto the valve cage 43, a further limited supply being permitted to pass past the ball valve 41 when the latter is moved on the seat 48 by vibration of the locomotive. Otherwise, the oil has no entry into the valve cage 43 which-is closed atits top as bya cap 53-. 'Oil may be replenished in thetank I3 'bya removable closure 54 therefor.-

Operation-of the device of the-present invention isas'follows:

Asa limited supply of oil'passes down the duct 48', it is' received within the well [9 until the 55 latter fills'up to aheight which may be indicated saybythe line 55, which may be a point just slightly above the reduced bore 30 of the'moderator-2'!; thus immersing the wire-like rod 3| inthe oil in the well. Here a limited amount of oil ispermitted to'pass'from thewell l9 into'the reduced bore 30 of the moderator tube and from thence into theenlarged bore 29 of the tube. Here again the oil is permitted to accumulate until" it rises to a point; above thetransverse. perforations 31 in the nipple inner end 36 whereupon the oil flows-through the passage 38 in the nippleinto the pipe 4| andthence by gravityto the shoe l5, which as described and claimed in my said Patent No. 2,203,112 may include a pair of fingers 56' and a delivery rod 51 therebetween" which is in communication with thepipe4| toreceive oil therefrom and let it run down onto the fiange'. I2 ofthe locomotive wheel II.

Following thepresent invention, the operation 4 is such that a well of oil is maintained in the well casing l1 and this oil therein has limited outlet therefrom by reason of the moderator device 26 providing a restricted passageway therefrom. At the same time the reduced bore 30 is prevented from clogging by the free play therein both axially and rotatively of the wire-like membe1: 3.l,. movement,of whichagainis caused both by flow of oil" therearound" and by ;vibration of the locomotive in motion. The degree of longitudinal movement of the wire-like member 31 is limited by the nipple abutment so that one end or. the wirelik'e.=.member always projects to some extent-into thewell' l8 to keep the bore 30 open -.unclogged at that end.

Sediment sumps are provided at various stages in; thesprogmssr of; the oil from the tank to the wheeLsuch as at l8 as already mentioned, again at-58" in the well [9, and again Within the bore 29 of the moderator device.

S0 constructed and arranged oil is delivered to the parts tobe lubricated uniformly, under all weather conditions, in winter-andsummer, without: waste of oil. This particularly important in winter-when it may be the practice of railroad maintenance-personnel t0 dilute-the oil in. the reservoir to keep it'from thickening-under the infiuence of cold. Without my present invention such diluted'oil may flow'too' freely and not only: cause a-waste of thelatter-but-may also cause an over-lubrication of the wheel flange with attendant reduction attraction and waste of power:

The moderator may be designed: with a: fixed? opening and-.wire-like-member. therein of? an ap propriate. size to feed a pre-determined: num-- her-of drops of-"oil required: per: minute for: mini-- eating: aparticular wheel flange undergivenservice conditions; tions, adifierent moderator may.- be inserted to feedmore-or less oil as required. Both the di ameter and length of'thereduced bore 30-ofthe moderator may bevaried (in thousandths of an inch) in different installations=to accomplishgiv enratesofoildelivery, e; g; as little as one-half pintrper wheel flange in 24' hours 01" locomotiveservice time.

It will be understood that when the locomotive comes to a stop and the agitation ceases, the-oil" sure. from above the oil level 55"and-such atmos pheric pressure as maybe exerted is through the delivery pipe 4| and moderator device which counteracts-thetendency atrsuch time for-oil'to pass from the well through the bore 30 to thedelivery pipe. When, however, thelocomotiveagamstarts up, oil starts feeding immediately since the ball valve 4-T ismovedon-its-seat 48 to open the'duct-46. At the same time, when the: ball valve is off its seat, limited atmosphericpressure is eifective on the oil'in the well IE to cause discharge of oil to the delivery pipe.

Since there-is no head of -oil in the well; there isno more pressure thereon when the tank is full than when it is almost-empty,- thus-insuring uniform feed.

If desired, another moderator and pipe may-be Forotherseryice condl head room is limited between the truck frame I and the locomotive underframe (not shown).

The invention is not intended to be limited to details of construction here shown for purposes of exemplification. Furthermore, it is to be understood that all features of the invention need not be used conjointly at all times since various combinations or sub-combinations may at times be advantageously employed. Such changes may be made as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the invention.

The invention having been described, what is here claimed is:

1. In wheel flange lubricating means, an oil supply moderator comprising a tube having an enlarged bore at one end and a greatly reduced bore at its other end, a wire-like rod in said reduced bore loosely filling the bore and materially projecting from the bore at both ends, a stop member on the rod within the enlarged bore limiting'outward movement of the rod in the reduced bore, a nipple threaded into the mouth of the enlarged bore, a diametrically reduced inner end on the nipple, said reduced end having an abutment surface for therod limiting inward movement of the rod in the reduced bore, said rod having play between said stop member and said abutment, a lateral perforation in said reduced end, and a passageway through the nipple spaced from the place of abutment of the rod thereon, and communicating with said lateral perforation.

2. In wheel flange lubricating means, an oil supply moderator comprising a horizontally disposed tube having an enlarged bore at one end and a greatly reduced bore at its other end, a

wire-like rod in said reduced bore loosely filling the reduced bore and materially projecting from the reduced bore at both ends, a stop member on the rod within the enlarged bore limiting outward movement of the rod in the reduced bore. a nipple threaded into the mouth of the enlarged bore having an abutment surface for the rod limiting inward movement of the rod in the reduced bore, said rod having play between said stop member and said abutment, and a passageway for oil through the nipple spaced from the place of abutment of the rod thereon.

OLOF W. SWANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,229,822 Swanson June 12, 1917 1,279,173 Swanson Sept. 17, 1918 1,315,487 Fox Sept. 9, 1919 1,430,199 Swanson Sept. 2, 1922 1,972,907 Shaw Sept. 11, 1934 2,082,770 "Bijur June 1, 1937 2,192,176 Bijur Mar. 5, 1940 2,203,112 Swanson June 4, 1940 

